Boot-tree



A. N. EBBERSTEN.

2 SheetsSheet 1. v

BOOT TREE.

(No Model.)

No. 556,497. Patented Mar. 17,1896.

1' \/E Ema 2 SheetsSheet2.

(NoModelJ A. N. EBBERSTEN.- BOOT TREE. No. 556,497. Patented Mar. 17, 1896.;

ANDREW lliflAnAM. Pnow-LmmwAsnmmu. n.c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED N. EBBERSTEN, OF ORANGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT-TREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,497, dated March 17, 1896.

Applicati n filed January 10, 1896. Serial No. 574,967. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED N. EBBERSTEN, a citizen of Sweden, and a resident of Orange, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boot or Shoe Trees, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in boot and shoe trees; and it consists especially in combination, with a boot-tree, of a longitudinally-adjustable front leg, by means of which one and the same tree may be used for boys and mens lasts of various sizes, thus dispensing with special trees for different sizes of boots.

The invention is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein s Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 represents arear view of the body portion, showing the back leg-piece removed. Fig. 4 represents afront view of the body portion, showing the front leg-piece and foot-piece removed. Fig. 5 represents an inside view of the front leg portion. Fig. 6 represents an inside view of the rear leg portion. Fig. 7 represents a cross-section on the line 7 7 shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 represents a cross-section on the line 8 8 shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 0 represents a rear end view of the foot-piece. Fig. 10 represents a detail side view of the lower end of the body portion, and Fig. 11 represents a longitudinal section on the line 11 shown in Fig. 10.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

A represents the body portion made of metal and provided at its upper end with a trunnion A, which is adapted to be j ournaled in a stationary bearing attached to a bench or table, as usual in devices of this kind.

WVithin the body portion A is longitudinally movable the expander-bar B, the upper end of which passes through the trunnion A and has connected to its end a swivel-yoke B, which is actuated by a treadle-lever to expand the tree, as usual.

0 is a spring for holding the expander-bar B in its normal position previous to putting the boot on the tree, as usual.

D represents the rear or back leg, as usual,

preferably made of wood and having secured to the inside of its lower portion a'U-shaped plate d, adapted to interlock with the side lips e e of a pawl E, pivoted to the body por tion at e, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

To the upper end of the back leg, D, is secured a hook d, adapted to interlock with a spring-pressed locking projectionf, longitudinally yielding on a pin F, secured to the body portion A in the usual manner, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

\Vithin the lower part of the body portion A is a pin or projection A, which causes the pawl E to be forced against the inside of the back piece, D, when the rod B is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, thereby causing the back leg, D, to be expanded from the body portion A after the boot has been placed 011 the tree.

G is a slide-bar longitudinally movable in suitable guides on the front of the body portion A and provided at. its upper end with a hook g, adapted to be interlocked with a spring-pressed pawl II, pivoted at h to the body portion A, when the bar B is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, during which movement said pawl is actuated by an inclined or cam-shaped surface B on the bar B, as shown in Fig. 2.

The slide-bar G has a hook at g, adapted to interlock with a plate 2 on the foot-piece I, as shown in Figs. 2, 9, and 10.

In a recess in the slide-bar G is pivoted a spring-pressed locking-lever g, adapted to interlock in a recess on the inside of the footpiece I, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4:.

On the front of the body portion A is longitudinally adjustable the front leg, K, which is guided 011 longitudinal dovetailed ribs A A fitting into correspondingly shaped grooves 7e on the interior of the adjustable front leg, K, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 8.

In the upper end of the adjustable front leg, K, is a slot-hole 7a, through which passes loosely an adjustable fastening-screw L, that is screwed into the front of the body portion A, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. seen that by adjusting the position of the It will thus be front leg, K, the tree may be used for various sizes of foot-pieces, and by this arrangement one and the same tree can be used for mens and boys sizes without the need of special lasts.

To the sides of the body portion A are secured the metal plates M, the lower ends of which are secured to expansive spring-pressed checks or jaws N N, arranged in guides on the lower sides of the body portion A, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 7, and 10. The plates M M embrace the sides of the back leg, D, and when the latter is expanded it causes a corresponding expansion of the lower parts of said plates M M and the spring-pressed jaws N N, attached to said plates.

The operation is as follows: WVhen the tree is in the normal position (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) the slide G is free to be drawn outward with the foot-piece I from the body portion A sufficient to enable the boot to be placed on the foot-piece I, and as the latter is pressed inward against the lower end of the front leg, K, the rear of the boot is placed in position 011 the lower portion of the ex pansive rear leg, D, as is common in devices of this kind. The operator then causes the expander-bar B to be moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2 by any wellknown treadle mechanism by which the slide G and its foot-piece I are caused to be locked to the body portion A by the pawl H, and the lower end of the rear leg, D, is expanded by the action of the pawl E, thus holding the boot in its proper position on the tree during the treeing operation.

After a .boot has been treed the operator releases his hold on the expander-bar B, which is then returned by the spring 0 to the normal position shown in Fig. 2, causing the slidebar G and foot-piece I to be released from the body portion A and enabling the foot-piece and said slide-bar to be drawn outward preparatory to the removal of the boot.

The foot-piece I, if so desired, may be removed from the slide-bar G simply by depressing the spring-pressed locking-lever g and moving the foot'pieee upward sufficiently to cause its plate 2' to be detached from the hook g on the slide-bar G, after which, if so desired, a foot-piece of a different size, larger or smaller, may be connected to the said slidebar, and the front leg, K, adjusted in position relative to the body portion and the foot-piece, so as to cause the meeting edges of such footpiece and front leg to come together without leaving an open space between such parts.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim- 1. In a treein g device in combination abody portion, a slide-bar and a foot-piece detachably secured thereto, an expansive back piece and a longitudinallyadjustable front legpiece substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a treeing device in combination a body portion, a longitudinallyadjustable bar, a slide-bar and a foot-piece detachably secured to said slide-bar, an expansive back piece and a longitudinally -adjustable front leg-piece substantially as and for the purpose set forth and describedI 3. In a treeing device in combination abody portion a longitudinally-adjustable expanderbar, a slide-bar, a foot-piece detachably secured to said slide-bar an expansive back piece, a longitudinally-adjustable front legpiece and means substantially as described for interlocking the body portion with the back leg-piece,the slide-bar and the foot-piece with the latter as herein set forth and described.

4. In a treeing device in combination with a detachable and interchangeable foot-piece a longitudinally-adjustable front leg-piece adapted for adjustment relative to various sizes of foot-pieces substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a treeing device in combination with a detachable and interchangeable foot-piece, a longitudinally-adjustable front leg-piece and a detachable expansive back leg-piece substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 23d day of November, A. D. 1895.

ALFRED 'N. EBBERSTEN. lVitnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, LAURI'IZ N. MoLLun. 

